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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22507585">Don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognise anywhere.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amandjnx/pseuds/Amandjnx'>Amandjnx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Policewomen!CarolNat [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, F/F, Policewomen!CarolNat, carolnat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:22:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,610</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22507585</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amandjnx/pseuds/Amandjnx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>Another short story for our policewomen!CarolNat.</p><p>I had a lot of fun writting about them but I think it's gonna be the time for me to end their story, I can see the end of it soon, in a few one shots/short fics.</p><p> </p><p>The fic title is from Taylor Swift's New Year's Day</p><p>I hope you'll enjoy this!</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carol Danvers/Natasha Romanov, Natasha Romanov &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Policewomen!CarolNat [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559434</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Guess whose therapy is over!!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Another short story for our policewomen!CarolNat.</p><p>I had a lot of fun writting about them but I think it's gonna be the time for me to end their story, I can see the end of it soon, in a few one shots/short fics.</p><p> </p><p>The fic title is from Taylor Swift's New Year's Day</p><p>I hope you'll enjoy this!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two months after their trip to Louisiana, Natasha had still not told Tony about her declined proposal but felt more and more the need to.</p><p>On this Saturday Carol had an appointment with her therapist and, as usual, Natasha went with her and waited at a cafe next to the office. The couple was supposed to go back to the south east state this weekend but cancelled a few weeks before, because of those new appointments Carol's therapist added in her schedule on the Satursdays.</p><p>She sat at the terrace and ordered two drinks, her classic black coffee and an earl grey tea for Tony. She asked him to join her, she had finally found the courage to tell him, it was not that big of a deal when she thought about it.</p><p>The Captain arrived ten minutes after the redhead got seated and had already his order waiting for him on the table.</p><p>"Good afternoon miss Romanoff!" He said to get her attention, giving her shoulder a gentle tap as he walked past her.</p><p>"Hi!" She replied shyly, pointing at the chair in front of her to tell him to sit. The man obliged and gave her a thanking look for the drink she ordered for him.</p><p>"So, what is it Red? Your text was.. weird."</p><p>"Uh, yeah. I've got to tell you something. I don't your advice or whatever, I just need to tell someone."</p><p>"Listening, that, I can do."</p><p>"Great," she took a sip of her coffee and a deep breath, "so, back in Louisiana, I kind of proposed to Carol."</p><p>Tony choked on his tea, his eyes widening. He coughed to clear his airways to be able to speak, "You 'kind of' proposed?" he air quoted.</p><p>"Yes. I didn't plan it, we were talking about Monica, you know, the discussion we had about the visits and all. Well, after that she said things about having something that would be our and, I don't know, the words just came out of my mouth without me thinking of them and I asked her to marry me."</p><p>"And she..?"</p><p>"Said no."</p><p>"Oh." Tony simply said.</p><p>"Yeah." She replied instantly.</p><p>They both fell silent, Tony speechless about what his best friend said. He scratched his skull as he watched Natasha's face, the woman was obviously sad.</p><p>"Okay, uh.. are uh.. are you two good or?"</p><p>"Yes, we talked about it and I totally understand," she sipped her coffee again, "she is not ready, I can't blame her for that, it's just.. frustrating to know I'll have to wait for her to propose to me."</p><p>"Knowing how you love to control everything, I understand." Tony joked, trying, without success, to cheer up the redhead.</p><p>"It's not that honestly, it was just so natural, you know, and now I know she's going to do something amazing, surely with an orchestra and all but I'd rather keep it private."</p><p>"Why don't you tell her?" He asked seriously, he didn't see what would be wrong with that, Pepper told him she didn't want a big proposal back in the days and he didn't take it badly when she told him.</p><p>"You know Carol, she loves doing big things, I can't get that away from her." The truth was she didn't want to talk about marriage with Carol for a few time, the subject was still fresh in both their minds and would bring them some unwanted memories they'd rather forget.</p><p>"The most important is that you two will end up married, don't you think?" Natasha chuckled, that was surely the wisest thing Tony had ever said to her.</p><p>"I suppose you're right."</p><p>"Of course I am."</p><p>"Of course I am." She repeated sarcastically, mocking him and his huge ego.</p><p>They burst into laughter at Natasha's impression of the eleventh district Captain, she was quite good at it, she obviously had sealed with the guy for a long time and knew everything she needed to imitate him to perfection.</p><p>As the atmosphere went back to its normality and calmness, Natasha remembered a detail she wanted to share, "I told her I'd wait forever, that I didn't care if we were married or not but, the truth is, I really wanna marry her, you can't imagine how bad I want to."</p><p>"I know you do, you were crying like a baby at my wedding, it had to mean something, guess we found out."</p><p>"Also, you two were beautiful and I'm not a robot, I have feelings sometimes."</p><p>"Joke apart, Carol said she wanted it too, at Bucky's, she said she'd marry you one day, what changed?"</p><p>"She did say that but it's since that same lunch at Bucky's she hesitate, she has been thinking too much and now it scares her, apparently." Natasha remembered exactly every words her blonde haired girlfriend said back in the south of the country and it still hurt, even though she understood and accepted what the young detective felt.</p><p>"She said she was talking about it with her therapist, maybe she'll be okay soon. I hope she will."</p><p>"Wait till her therapy is over and propose then!" Tony said with a joyful tone, if the woman was done with the psychologist it would mean she'd be done with all the things she talk about, marriage included.</p><p>"I'm not going to do that, I said I could wait, I will."</p><p>"Guess I'll lose my bet.."</p><p>"Your what?" Nat exclaimed, hoping she heard him wrong.</p><p>"Ah, yes, I shouldn't have said that."</p><p>"Anthony Stark, you better tell me." She said firmly, glaring at him with her dark green eyes and frowned.</p><p>After a few seconds of resistance, the man gave up, "Okay, fine. We have an ongoing bet, Bucky, Vision and I think you'll propose before Carol and Pepper, Wanda and Sam think the opposite."</p><p>"Well you kinda won."</p><p>"Yeah, but I'm sure you don't want me to talk about it."</p><p>"I'd rather keep it for us, yeah."</p><p>"I don't care if lose then." He said softly to comfort his best friend, the woman still pretty upset with the whole situation. She thanked him with a squeeze of his hand and called the waiter for another drink, "Let's talk about something else, would you?"</p><p>"Whatever you want, Nat."</p><p> </p><p>During an hour or so, they talked about diverse subjects, more joyful than the first they broached. Tony explained Morgan's last achievements at school, the girl had the best grades at her mathematics test and her teacher said she was doing great in sports and history too. Natasha briefed her Captain on her and her partner's last case, they had found a new group of mobsters, formed by some former Avengers. They were apparently not looking for revenge against Bucky (which was Carol's main interest since the guy was kind of her best friend) but simply continuing what Rogers left behind him. The couple of friends were so focused in the story that they didn't hear Carol coming to their table. The blonde only saw her girlfriend and was excited to tell her the latest news, "Guess who's therapy is over!!" she shouted and raised her arms to the sky in victory.</p><p>Natasha instinctively stood up and threw herself into Carol's arms, congratulating her, "Oh, my God, C, I'm so proud of you!" she said, her face in the golden locks. She pulled out of the embrace and found Carol grinning, "I couldn't have done that without you."</p><p>They both laughed as they remembered the roles were reversed back when it was Natasha's therapy that was over. The redhead hugged her girlfriend again, holding as tight as possible to show her how proud of her she was, because she was, it wasn't just an inside joke. Carol had been through so much, she deserved it to end, she deserved to feel something else than guilt and shame when she thought about her best friend. Her mental health had improved a lot in the first weeks she went to the psychologist but she quickly struggled and the therapy didn't advance as expected. Apparently the visit to the south east of the country unlocked something in the blonde and the three times a week therapy (up to four since they got back) finally worked.</p><p>This time when they pulled out, Natasha's lips found Carol's for a tender kiss, her thumbs running up and down the cold and pink cheeks.</p><p>The sound of Tony coughing made them break the kiss. They stared at each other for a couple of seconds, embarrassed that they totally forgot the Captain existence. Well, Natasha did, Carol didn't even notice he was there in the first place.</p><p>Natasha sat down on her seat and pulled a chair from another table so Carol could join them, "I guess you heard the news!" she said, breaking the weird silence that had fallen between the three of them, "Yes, that I did, and I think the whole block did too." he replied was a shit-eating smirk, not even trying to hide his amusement. Both Natasha and Carol rolled their eyes, only the latter was smiling, happy to announce to her friend and boss she was healed.</p><p>"Joke aside, I'm really happy for you, Carol." He added, his tone softening. "Thank you, Tony. I'm glad I made it."</p><p>"I knew you would," Natasha stated, her hand landing on Carol's, "you are the strongest person I know." she squeezed her hand three times, not giving Tony the privileges to hear the three words coming from her mouth.</p><p>Carol responded by tilting her head to the side and looked into the emerald eyes with all the love she had. They stared, smiling softly, forgetting, again, the world around them.</p><p>Tony cleared his throat as a reminder that the were not in their flat nor alone, "Maybe I should leave, you know, I have a life and a wife and a daughter, they might need me." He said but it was more a monologue then a conversation, the couple didn't even glance at him.</p><p>"Right, I'll see you on Monday."</p><p>Natasha managed hummed to let her best friend know she heard him and Carol didn't bother to, too caught up in the redhead's features to react.</p><p>Shaking her head to come back from their silent private moment, Natasha slid her hand into her pocket to get her wallet to pay for hers and Tony's drinks when she did, her eyes fell on a twenty dollars note and the Detective smirked, putting back the wallet where she found it and stood up, giving her hand back to Carol.</p><p>They walked wordlessly towards their home, sometimes stopping their pace to look at some attractive items in a shop front. Interrupting their stroll again in front of a grocery store, Carol remembered their fridge was empty and that they'd have to order take outs if they'd want to eat something tonight.</p><p>"We should get vegetables, we've already eat chinese yesterday, and pizzas Wednesday, I don't want Minnerva to call me fat."</p><p>"Okay," Natasha sighed, she was totally up for a burger or another pizza, "I'm sure she has as much cheat meals as you in a week though!"</p><p>"Actually I think she has an IV that feeds her so she has more time to train!" Carol joked as she pulled the redhead inside.</p><p>They spent a full hour in the store, walking down the alleys to found the right food. In the end, they bought enough for a ten people dinner, or for a whole week for two people. Natasha didn't forget to get biscuits for Liho and Goose, knowing the cats would run towards her and walk around her legs until she'd give them some the second she'd enter the flat. They paid and continued their walk to their home, either one of them carrying a bag so they had a hand free that they linked together.</p><p>As they stepped inside the lift, Carol started wondering why Tony was with Natasha back at the cafe, she usually waited alone, she always said it didn't bother her.</p><p>The only way she had to know was by asking but she strangely dreaded the answer, "By the way, why was Tony with you earlier?"</p><p>Natasha glanced at her girlfriend before looking back to the numbers above the door of the elevator, wishing they could climb faster so she could get away from this situation. She didn't want to tell Carol the truth but she also couldn't lie to her, she promised herself she would never do that.</p><p>The blonde noticed how uncomfortable her partner was, "Is there something wrong?"</p><p>Natasha jumped as Carol voice cut her train of thoughts. She had to say something but she couldn't tell her the truth, she was screwed, "No, nothing's wrong, I just wanted company so I called him." she muttered and gasped as the doors finally opened. She rushed out of the lift and unlocked the door of her place, walking straight to the kitchen. Carol followed her from afar, analysing her unusual behaviour as she took the fruit off the bag. The blonde knew it wasn't like Natasha to change her habits, she hated changes, so why would she modify one very organised part of her schedule to see her best friend that she see at least five times a week.</p><p>She eventually figured out why would Natasha actually call Tony and asked, "You told him, didn't you?"</p><p>Natasha raised an eyebrow as she kept tidying the supplies in the fridge, "Told him what?"</p><p>"About you proposing." The blonde replied firmly.</p><p>"Oh!" Natasha didn't hide her surprise, she didn't know what to think of the lover's tone, was she upset? "Yes, I told him."</p><p>"Why?" Carol sounded genuinely annoyed by the confirmation of her doubts.</p><p>"Because it was bothering me. I did my best to forget about it but I couldn't so I thought maybe telling him would help."</p><p>"I'm sure it did." The blonde chuckled sarcastically as she took a beer in the fridge, pushing Natasha off balance as she hit her shoulder lightly with her hip, the redhead kneeled to put the fruits and vegetables in the drawer at the bottom of the fridge.</p><p>"Is it a problem?" Natasha asked getting back on her feet to get the biscuits that remained in the bag, "I mean, it shouldn't be for you, it's me who received a no!" she commented, anger growing in her voice as she bent down again to give the cats their food.</p><p>"Yes, it is a problem because you obviously told him about me being scared of it while explaining why I said no."</p><p>"I did," Natasha said, looking down at her feet, feeling guilty for sharing a private conversation, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have but I ca-"</p><p>"You know what, I don't care. Next time I won't tell you anything so you won't spill the tea to your best friend."</p><p>"Oh, come on, C, is it really that bad?" The redhead crossed her arms at her chest and leaned her lower back against the island, not understanding why Carol was making a big deal out of a little conversation.</p><p>"Yes, it's really bad since it's something I've been talking about with my therapist." The blonde took a sip of her beer, "We agreed that if we shared something from our sessions, we wouldn't talk about it to anyone but us, it should have stayed between us!"</p><p>"And what was I supposed to do, huh? Unlike you, I don't have a therapist any more, so I should have keep it for myself?" She wasn't actually asking, she did what she thought was right and wouldn't apologise for it, "I didn't feel good, I needed to talk, I told him, that's it."</p><p>"You should have told me." Carol replied with a sad tone.</p><p>"It's not like I've seen you a lot lately, you've almost been living in the psychologist's office and when you're not there you're at the gym, you've been more of a co-worker lately than a girlfriend."</p><p>"Yeah, blame me for trying to get better, good idea."</p><p>"Oh, come on, Carol, that's not what I meant. "</p><p>"Yet it sounded exactly like that's what you meant," her anger was back again as she yelled at her girlfriend, "I don't even wanna talk about it, I need some air, I am out of here."</p><p>"No, wait!" Nat tried to grab her wrist but failed, the blonde being faster than her. "Where are you going?" she questioned, almost a hundred percent sure she would not get a response.</p><p>"I don't know, walking."</p><p>"No, Carol please, I'm so-" the sound of the door being shut covered Natasha's last words.</p><p>She muttered to herself a few words to try to play down the situation but she couldn't get herself to calm down. The only way she found to do so was by punching the wooden island as hard as she could.</p><p>"Dammit!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I do.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I finished the second part faster than expected so there it is, enjoy!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She didn't know where she was going precisely but she knew she needed to get out of her place and clear her head.</p><p>Carol left the building of her flat and walked fast in the opposite direction, towards Central Park. She had learnt the way around the neighbourhood now that she lived there. She discovered a lot of nice hidden places in seven months, she even found some Natasha had never stepped into, like this book-store in which she found Natasha's birthday present or the cafe where they were now usual clients.</p><p>She slowed her pace when she reached the park, entering via a little pathway not many people used. It was hers and Natasha's way to go inside, whether they were jogging or on a stroll they would take that path that led to the Conservatory Water. She walked around the lack, looking at her dark reflection on the water as the night started to fall, looking further up she could see the blurry image of the moon.</p><p>Seeing the white natural satellite of Earth reminded her of a night she and Natasha went out on their usual walk, wanting to see how it would look like in the dark. And, well, it was beautiful, the trees were enlightened from under their foliage by lamp-posts, making their shadows somehow scary but also magical. She remembered a special moment of that night, Natasha had pulled her towards a bench and pushed her on it, straddling the blonde's lap so she couldn't escape (not that she wanted to). Carol and Natasha had been together for four months at the time and hadn't said <em>I love you</em> to the other since that morning after their first date. Natasha couldn't stop smiling as she was on her girlfriend and the blonde didn't understand why until the woman opened her mouth to say the three words. It wasn't the first time she had heard them coming from her partner but the way she said it, with the softest tone ever and the sparkles in her dark green eyes, it made it impossible for Carol not to grin like an idiot. She didn't felt stupid at all for reacting like this though, she was actually quite proud to be comfortable with her feelings for the redhead. After that little break they got back to Natasha's place and had one of their best night of sex, Carol could still remember how tired she was at work the next day as she hadn't slept at all.</p><p>All those memories made her realise something, she couldn't stop thinking about Nat. Even mad at her for what she said, she was the only recurrent thought in her mind, this point of stability she had been looking for her whole life, and now she had it, she had it and she was fucking it up for some dumb reasons.</p><p>The redhead was wrong on some points but so was Carol, she should not have yelled at her for sharing her feelings to her best friend, especially when the best friend is Tony Stark, aka the most secretive person in the world when it came to personal stuff. He was a huge pain in the ass ninety eight percent of the time but he knew it when he heard or see something he could not laugh about. He did found Carol's niece and kept the secret for almost a year after all, he could be trusted.</p><p>Carol felt worse and worse as she walked in the park, mindlessly getting closer to the exit. Natasha was the love of her life and she was making her suffer, being away like that without giving news. The older Detective wasn't the kind of person to get worried for nothing but when Carol was out in the city with no phone or not responding to it, she could get anxious very easily.</p><p>Carol decided to check her phone, in case the redhead called her and found on her screen eight missed calls and seventeen text messages. She looked at her watch and gasped as she realised how late it was, almost 11 PM, she had been out for more than four hours.</p><p>The woman unlocked her phone and read the messages, her face saddening as she imagined in what state Natasha was back in their home.</p><p> </p><p>Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [6:21pm]<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [6:23 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Carol I'm so sorry, please come back home and we'll talk.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [6:32 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [6:46 pm]<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [6:58 pm]<br/>
<br/>
C, I know I've been a dumbass, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean anything.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [7:10 pm]<br/>
<br/>
At least tell me you're okay, I'm starting to worry.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [7:12 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [7:16 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [7:21 pm]<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [7:25 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Please call me the second you got this text.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [7:49 pm]<br/>
<br/>
I can't lose you, Carol, please, come back.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [7:51 pm]<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [8:27 pm]<br/>
<br/>
I love you more than anything, you know that.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:01 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Carol I'm really worried.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:04 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Please, tell me you're okay<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:09 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Istg I'm gonna call Tony to put a search warrant on you if you don't answer me.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:14 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Carol..<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:15 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Come on, answer me.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:17 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Just tell me you're okay and I'll stop harassing you.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:23 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Okay, I'm leaving you alone.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:24 pm]<br/>
<br/>
I just want you to know that I love you and I'd do anything for you.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [9:25 pm]<br/>
<br/>
But please come back to me.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Missed call from Natalia ❤️ [10:29 pm]<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [10:34 pm]<br/>
<br/>
I just want to know if you're safe.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Natalia ❤️ [10:41 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Please, be careful C. I love you.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The last text had been sent four minutes ago and Carol almost answered it instantly but then an idea came to her mind and she had to hurry if she wanted it to work.<br/>
<br/>
The blonde knew there was a few stores around Central Park that closed at 11 pm and wanted to go to a very specific one she had noticed a couple of weeks ago, during a morning jogging with Nat. She went to the shop and it was hopefully still opened but the last man standing there was about to close. She rushed towards it and waved at him, letting him know she wanted to buy something.<br/>
<br/>
It took her only a dozen of minutes to find the right object and she was glad she took her wallet before leaving, it wasn't the sort of thing you can get with the a few coins you find in the bottom of your pocket. She wanted to hide it and found the right place, it was small enough to fit next to her keys and a pack of tissues in the left pocket of her jeans.<br/>
<br/>
She checked the time again, 11:05 pm and walked fast back to hers and Natasha's home, sending her a text as she entered the building.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>C 🥰 [11:11 pm]<br/>
<br/>
Sorry, my phone was on silent. I'm coming back, I'm in the elevator now.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>She did lie about her exact location but the redhead would probably get the text when she'd be in the lift so it wasn't actually lying.<br/>
<br/>
Carol stepped in the flat discreetly, thinking the red haired woman had fallen asleep as she didn't answer her text and there was not a single noice. She tossed her keys on the little table next to the door and put her jacket on the coat rack. She was heading to the bedroom when she glimpsed the silhouette of her partner, leaned on the metallic barrier of the balcony looking at the buildings standing in front of her. She pushed the sliding door to the right to join her, not trying to be discreet but the other woman apparently didn't hear her as she jumped lightly when the blonde cleared her throat.<br/>
<br/>
"Hey there." Carol said shyly, keeping her distance from her partner in case the redhead was mad. When she turned to face the her, Natasha wasn't even hiding her sadness as tears were falling off her eyes. She didn't reply but stepped forward, half smiling as she got closer and hugged Carol. The blonde returned the gesture, holding her girlfriend around her waist, the other woman grip tightening, her arms slidding further up to Carol's neck. She clenched her fist, grasping the fabric of the blonde's shirt and let escape a sob, and another one followed. It made Carol's heart ache to see Natasha like this and had to make her feel better, kissing her hairline and ran her hand up and down her back.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I should have called you, I wasn't thinking." She apologised. The smaller woman didn't answer, she was still too emotional to talk. Instead, to let her know she was fine, she kissed the closest part of Carol's skin she could reach, the bottom of her neck. The blonde shivered as she felt Natasha's wet-from-tears cheek on her collarbone. Her lover's body was trembling, either because of her sobs and the weather and there Carol realised how freezing it was outside with the wind.</p><p>"You mind coming inside? It's getting really cold, I don't want you to get sick." The redhead nodded and they both got back in the living room.</p><p>Not sure where to go, Carol simply stood in the middle of the room and analysed Natasha's behaviour. The other woman seemed to have something to say but hesitated to share it. The blonde was about to take the floor when Natasha spoke up, "Where were you?" she asked with a wavering voice.</p><p>"Walking around Central Park, thinking."</p><p>"About what?"</p><p>"You," Carol admitted, "how much I love you and how I was an idiot to yell at you for that stupid and anecdotal reason."</p><p>Natasha took a step forward and cupped Carol's cheeks, "You shouldn't be the one apologising, I knew it was wrong to tell Tony but I didn't it anyway. I was the idiot, I should have talked about it with you, I'm sorry."</p><p>Carol giggled as they were both wrong but trying to make things right. Usually, when they fought (which almost never happened) one of them was completely right and the other not and it always ended with the guilty apologising, but not this time.</p><p>The blonde wrapped her arms around Natasha's waist and kissed her forehead softly, "Let's say we were both dumbasses and forget about it, okay?"</p><p>Natasha nodded before tucking her head in the crook of Carol's neck, enjoying the warmth of her girlfriend's body.</p><p>Her earlier crying forced Natasha to sniffled, something she hated to do, whether it was because of her sadness or a sickness. Carol knew that too and got out of her pocket the pack of tissues she had, leaving the small box she bought and what its contents alone. The redhead used the last handkerchief of the packet and threw them both on the table next to her and hold Carol again, but softer than before, one of her hand in the back of the golden haired woman's neck, tracing circles with her thumb.</p><p>As she changed position to wrapped her other arm around Carol's shoulder, Natasha felt something hard on her thigh, she tried to look down but couldn't, the blonde was holding her too tight to let her move. Instead of seeing, she thought she could use her touch to figure out what it was. She pressed her thigh against Carol's and rubbed it to have a better idea of the size of the thing. She didn't get what it was until she noticed the shape of the object and gasped.</p><p>"Carol Danvers, is it what I think it is in your left pocket?" She asked, her eyes widened.</p><p>The blonde rolled her eyes but smiled, "You had to feel it."</p><p>"Carol, tell me you're not about t-" she gasped again at the sight of Carol kneeling in front of her, "Oh, my God, you are."</p><p>Carol's hand slid into her pocket, took the box and opened it, revealing a silver ring ornamented with small diamonds and a bigger one at its centre, the gemstones shining as it reflected the lights of the room.</p><p>"C, what are you d-"</p><p>The blonde shushed her by taking her hand, looking up with a soft smile, "Let me talk Natalia, please."</p><p>She prepared herself by taking a deep breath after the other woman nodded, giving the blonde the green light.</p><p>"Okay, uh," she cleared her throat, "I didn't planned this so I guess it's just me and my feelings talking right now."</p><p>Carol was trying her best to stay focus but Natasha's face made it hard, the woman was totally in shock of what was happening.</p><p>"It might seem weird after what I said a couple of months ago but as I was walking around Central Park I realised you were the only thought in my head, even mad at you I could stop thinking about you. You are the one constant thing I want in my life, the one I want to be with, forever."</p><p>"W-what happened to you being afraid of it all?" Natasha stammered as her brain tried to come back to its normal state.</p><p>"It's stupid, I realised that, and I don't wanna be scared anymore, I wanna face it with you, together we're invisible. I fell in love with you the second I saw you and I will never stop loving you, you're making me stronger, better. You are the love of my life, Nat and I want to show it to the whole world. So, Natalia Alianovna Romanova, will you marry?"</p><p>"I-" the redhead tried to talk but her throat was dry, "stand up!"</p><p>Carol didn't had the time to protest, Natasha had already pulled her by the hand and captured her lips, her free hand instinctively coming up to cup the blonde's jaw while the fingers of her left hand intertwined with Carol's.</p><p>Carol had expected a lot of scenarios but this one wasn't one of them. She thought Natasha would laugh at her, thinking she was joking, just like the ex pilot thought back in Louisiana or maybe she would have cried but this heated kiss, she didn't see it coming.</p><p>The blonde moan when her lover deepened the kiss, trying her best not to let the box and the engagement ring fall on the ground as she wrapped her arms around Natasha's waist. She tried to pull out but the redhead chased her lips and linked them with hers again, arousal growing up into her. It felt like the time had stopped and they were stuck in a perfect bubble of love, kindness and lust, their hearts following the same fast rhythm as they grew more and more breathless.</p><p>When they pulled out it was only of need of air, both panting heavily, their foreheads were pressed against the other's as they needed to be close, as much as possible. Natasha opened her emerald eyes and nudged gently Carol's forehead, asking her to show her her own brown eyes. Their gazes met and they couldn't fight the urge to grin, Carol bringing the ring back in her girlfriend's sight, "I take that as a y-"</p><p>"Yes," Natasha finished Carol's sentence, "It's a yes."</p><p>Natasha offered her left hand to Carol and the blonde accepted it, taking the ring off the box and threaded Natasha's fourth finger into it cautiously. The redhead watched her newly fiancee with adoration, her lips twitched into a soft smile and giggled as the girl took all the time in the world, savouring this moment of pure happiness.</p><p>Their gazes met again and so did their lips, Carol leaning in to give a gentle kiss to Natasha.</p><p>"I love you, C." The redhead whispered as they broke the kiss.</p><p>"I love you too." Carol replied before kissing Nat's temple. The smaller woman yawned and Carol became aware that it was late, almost midnight.</p><p>"Wanna go to bed?" She asked, seeing sleepiness on her partner's features. Natasha shook her head, fighting against herself, she wanted to enjoy this crazy evening a bit more.</p><p>"Cuddles?"</p><p>She nodded and smiled.</p><p>"You really are a baby, aren't you?"</p><p>"A baby you wanna marry."</p><p>"I do."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tell me your thoughts in the comments.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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